Iron fence



(No Model.)

S. B. HUSSELMAN.

IRON FENCE. No. 383,296. Patented May 22, 1888.

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SAMUEL B. HUSSELMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

mon Fence.V

CIF-ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,296, dated May 22, 1888.

Application tiled January 26, 1888. Serial No. 202,032. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. Hnssnmim, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lilinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Iron Fences, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in whichb4 Figure l shows a post of my improved fence as seen when looking in the longitudinal direction of the fence. Fig. 2 shows the same post when viewed from the side of the fence, and Fig. 3 shows the same in plan view. Fig. 4 shows the removable top of my fence-post, and Fig. 5 shows the split key by means of which the wires or rails of the felice are secured tothe posts. Fig. 6 shows my improved fence in side elevation, with one panel con` structed so as to make a gate. Fig. 7 shows a modification of the stays. (Shown also in Fig. 6.)

Like letters refer to like paris.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of iron or wire fences, principally in the posts, stays, and openings or gates, so as to make them cheaper, stronger, and more secure, as well as convenient both in setting and in use, and to secure said ends I construct my iron fences substantially as hereinafter set fort-h, namely:

To make my posts, I take gaspipe of about one and one-fourth inch external diameter and of desired length and cast its lower end into a base, B, formed of two intersecting webs, c d. The webs c have a cap, e, but the webs d do not extend out farther than the foot j' of the post. Said posts arc constructed and set as shown, for these reasons, namely: The greatest strain upon a single post at any time is always from the side of the fence. Therefore the webs c and caps e extend out about a foot or more laterally from the center of the post. Said caps lie on the top of the ground, and the webs c, of which the point is about two feet below the cap e, give them great strength, as well as rigidity in the ground. The firmness of the post is further increased by the webs d, which are, together, about four inches across the top of the webs, or at their widest part,their points terminating with those of the webs c. This further greatly resists any lateral motion of the fence and its posts, and at the same time strengthens the large web c and binds all the parts c d ef together very firmly and makes the base of the strongest form with the least possible amount of metal, and at the same time of such a form as to both have the strongest hold when in the ground and to facilitate the setting of the posts with the least amount of labor and expense. The block or foot j' of the post a binds all said parts c cl c together, and they in turn hold it in its place in the strongest manner and most desirable place and also at the same time, so as to mold and cast from the sand in the best possible way.

The post a may be fiatteued at its lower end 0r otherwise worked into the most desirable shape, so as to hold the most securely when cast into the base or foot f. Said posts are also provided with the requisite number of holes one for each strand or rail--formed in a direction parallel with the cap e, or at right an gies to the direction of the wire strands. A split key, g, made of half-round wire into the form as shown in Fig. 5, is driven into said holes in the posts with awire rail through the eye of said key, which, after being driven through the post, is clinched, as shown in Fig. 1. To prevent the accumulation of water, Sie., in the interior of said post, and at the same time make it ornamental, a ball or acornshaped top, Zi, with a shouldered shank, z', having a hole, i', is placed and secured upon each post, with the same key g passing through the slotted or oblong hole i, which holds the upper rail to the same post.

With posts and keys constructed as described, and strands of wire of any kindplain or barbed-we are now enabled to build a fence quickly and cheaply.

The posts are set two rods apart, the work being the simple operation of driving them into the ground at the right point.

Such a fence with a sufficient number of strands will be cheap and easy of construction as well as a very neat and strong fence; butin order to stiffen the rails between the posts still further stays consisting of the spiral wire j, arranged so as to have its spirals intei-lock with the railsl on one side of the fence and the straight rod or key 7c on the other side of the rails passing through said spirals longi tudinally, whereby said parts areinterlocked, Y

are placed at suitable intervals between the posts on eaeh panel, as shown in the drawings.

Hooks j and 7a are also formed on said. spiral and key, interlocking with either or both the upper and lower rails of the fence, by means of which said parts are more securely held in to their places.

Instead of the spirally formed wire j, a straight wire, m, with loops or eyes m', either over or under the rails Z, may be substituted and locked upon said rails by means of the same key, k, and hooks 7c at its ends.

Wherever in any part of my fence a gate is desired, a piece of gas pipe,a,or other suitable bar,is provided with holes and split keys g and fastened to the ends of the wires of the panel 2o which I want to form into a gate, in a manner about as shown in the drawings, the ends of the wires being fastened into said split keys, and so as to bring the said bar as near to the post a next to it as willgjust allow it to swing past said post. To the said bar a are also attached hooks lo, which are either interloeked with the wire of the next panel or on loops or pins on its post, whereby said free end of the panel of fence is held to its place or freed there- 3o from at pleasure, and when released may be swung in either direction from the plane of the In order to make such gate most coufence.

veniently, l preferably use a species otg barb- Wire rails formed into links, as shown in the drawings, which are from about six to twelve inches long. By the use of such linked wire any fence'panel may be made into a gate,whioh may be opened back to the links attached to the hinge-post of the gate,and its free end may then be swung entirely out of the way and hung back upon the fence, which could not be done so well if simply straight wires were used, although convenient gates may be made with it in the same way.

What I claim is- 1. An iron fence consisting of tubular posts provided with holes at right angles to the plane of the fence, in which are secured split keys holding wire rails,said tubular posts being east into a base consisting of a foot, f, placed eenv trally over the intersecting webs c and d and united to them, and a cap, e,on the webs c, substantially as specified.

2. An iron fence consisting of tubular posts provided with caps secured to their places by the same keys which hold the upper strand of wire, and a base consisting of the intersecting webs e d, holding centrally over their intersection a foot, f, united to them and the cap of the webs c, substantially as specified.

SAMUEL B. HUSSELMAN.

XVitnesses:

WM. ZIMMERMAN, R. GUENTHER. 

